Christmas 2012

So it's my favorite time of year again! This year I decided to skip Black Friday because I felt that it was overhyped and the prices weren't really worth the chaos. All year I have been putting up links on Twitter (@xmasconcierge) of gifts that I thought would be unique or just must haves. I will be posting the complete list in the coming days. If you have a suggestion or if there is anything that is really popular in your country please let me know! I'm really interested to know what everyone reading my blog wants for Christmas. XOXO

A glimps into what I do for my client's for the holidays.

The holiday season is upon us and if you are a personal shopper, it feels like a ton of bricks. My client just informed me that my team & I will be purchasing 300 gifts for her friends & family. We started by buying concert tickets to events such as Jingle Ball, Skrilla, & cirque du soliel- Michael Jackson (a whole row), iPad 2, a Cartier watch,Beats by Dre BeatsPro, & A consultant to help a 16 year old build a home studio. I will post pictures as the pile of gifts accumulates. Merry Christmas! Please let me know what you are buying for Christmas or what you are buying.

MB&F Legacy Machines & The Row Alligator Backpack- Xmas List (luxury)

MB&F Legacy Machines
$5551.85- $166555.50 USD

Movement: Hand-wound with single barrel, bespoke balance wheel floating above the dials, 279 parts, 23 jewels, 18,000 vib/h, 45-hour power reserve

Functions: Hours, minutes, independent dual time zone and power reserve

Case: 18K pink gold or grey gold, 65 parts, 44 mm
Domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective on both sides, and sapphire crystal caseback
Crowns at 4 o'clock to set the time and wind the right dial, and at 8 o'clock to set the time of the left dial

Dial: Balance wheel in the center Dials at 3 and 9 o'clock for local time and dual time zone
Vertical power-reserve indicator at 6 o'clock

Bracelet/Strap Hand-stitched black or brown alligator with matching 18K gold buckle

Images Via Askmen.com the link to the article describing these watches are in the @xmasconcierge timeline on October 8


The Row Alligator Backpack is $34,000

The Row backpack: black alligator, adjustable canvas straps, internal detachable handle, internal zip-fastening and slit pockets, feet, comes with metal mirror plate and case, designer-stamped gold-plated brass hardware, fully lined in leather. Drawstring at top. Alligator: United States. This bag is crafted from the finest materials and should therefore be treated with the utmost care. Please refer to the accompanying care instructions.

@Xmasconcierge

This week I introduced @xmasconcierge on Twitter. @xmasconcierge will be active from October 1 to January 31 every year. the purpose of the account is to help you, the viewer, to find interesting and exciting gifts for yourself and your loved ones at all price points. @xmasconcierge will stay ahead of the trends. I will provide links to articles telling you more about the gifts or a link to the store so you can purchase the gifts directly. I will not be using someone else's list. I do my research on the gifts and make sure that it will appeal to you. I am not receiving compensation for recommending any of the gifts. If I am provided anything for free to test, I will let you know in the post regarding the product. Staying ahead of the trends can save you money especially if you are buying the "it gift of the season" (i.e. HP Touchpad $99 on sale- current price $234.99 on Ebay)

You will see gifts from $5 to $100,000. The Twitter account will be a private account that will only be accessible to readers of this blog. In order to add the Twitter account you will need to provide the password: LIWIHBA

Please ask me any questions! I will answer everybody! If there is a gift that you are considering, let me know and I will do the research for you and blog about it for the readers.

Happy Hunting!

Holiday 2011 Season is here!

Kindle Fire

It's that time of year. The beginning of the Holiday Season. For those of you in the industry this is when you start the big push to let your audience know what services you can provide over this season. For those not in the industry but interested to find out what a concierge does during this time, I will enlighten you. First of all every day is different. This post will focus on personal shopping, one of the most used services during this season. We might get a call to find the newest item for Christmas like the new Kindle Fire which I believe will sell out way before December rolls around. See commercial below.



On closer inspection the Kindle fire looks like it may be the runaway hit outside of all things Apple this Holiday. As a personal concierge we have to stay on top of the hottest trends, know what is in and what is on it's way out before it hits the mainstream. A concierge has to network with industry insiders and become a power player in their own right in order to get you the illusive gift that seemed impossible to get. If the gift is more important to you than the price, then the sky is the limit and a concierge will get you there. The Holidays are about experiences. A concierge can do the footwork for you by physically going to the different shops, flying to a location to pick up a specialty item and delivering the wrapped gift to the object of your affections just the way you want it. So whether it is the Kindle Fire you are looking for or the NIKE MAG shoe, WorthAve has you covered.

I will be posting a list of this Holiday's potential best sellers in the next month. Please be forewarned that a lot of the items on the list will be electronic because I am a bit of a techie. So kick back, stop by and read this blog and stay ahead of the trends so you look like a hero this season. Feel free to ask me questions or make suggestions.

My name is Sandy & I am a concierge...

In the last few months I have had the privilege of meeting several concierge via Twitter. The firms they represent are in the USA, Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Caribbean. One thing is for sure,being a concierge right now is not easy. You have to have the personality to serve and be great under pressure to make it work.

I have joined a few online networks, telephone conferences, Linkedin groups all in the hopes of meeting concierges who are willing to teach as well as learn. I have been told that I think outside the box. I guess that is a good thing, but I am going to tell you a secret. I love to get the opinion of those who don't think like me so that I can gage just how outside the box I am.

I am always full of ideas and love to help others execute their vision. But even I must acknowledge it takes more than a great idea, a great marketing plan, and kismet. It sometimes takes restraint. The restraint to keep going even when it has been a bad day or week. The restraint not to announce your plans until they have been executed. I can finally admit that there are many seedy characters in our field. They are in the business for the money. They refuse to come up with an original idea and they feel that "business is business" when they "borrow" your whole concept.Theft is unavoidable.


You will have potential clients who will listen to your pitch, then they will try to execute your services in-house. Don't worry about those people. They wouldn't have paid you on time anyway. They are trying to save a dollar. They are not interested in the quality. As a concierge I provide a service. If you are counting your pennies, I'm probably not the right person for you. I hire people all the time for my personal use. I can barely cook. Now, does that mean that I am going to beat myself up over that? No. Am I going to starve? No. So to me it is an investment when I am having a small gathering at my home to hire a personal chef. Now, will I count my pennies? UM, NO. I want the best I can get so that I can impress my clients. You don't scrimp on some things. The chef gets paid his full fee and a tip. A happy chef is the secret to a great dinner.


I don't know about anybody else, but I want the dentist, the chef, the doctor who comes to work whistling, not the one who is stressed out about his bills. I understand that we are in an economic downturn. I know that the recovery doesn't feel like one to a lot of people. Maybe hiring a concierge for a week will be a splurge for you or as a gift for someone special. That is great! Stress is dangerous. A concierge alleviates stress by taking things off your plate. Concierges free up your time to take care of pressing matters. How many of us have given ourselves headaches this month because we didn't have the time or the strength to do everything? That is when you call a concierge and order their virtual package. Let them call the doctor and make the appointment for you. Let them call your cable, telephone, or internet provider and pay your bill for you or fight it out with the customer service agent who refuses to credit your account. Let them find the closest dry cleaner who will get rid of that impossible stain on your favorite outfit. Let them sit on Gilt Group and do the shopping for you when you are in a meeting. I promise you, if you try it for a week, you will see how it affects your productivity and stress level. My company (shameless plug) http://www.worthaveconcierge.com/ runs specials all the time for first timers. I add extra hours for non believers. I believe in what I do. I whistle while I work. Shouldn't you?

Site Inspections

Currently I am in Jamaica. The last two days have been filled with site inspections of several luxury hotels. What is a site inspection? It is what it sounds like. You go to the hotel to see what the property looks like and to check the amenities. How do you set up a site inspection? Call the hotel that you are interested in and tell them that you would like to speak to the Concierge Manager. Introduce yourself and your reason for the site inspection. My reason is for my clients. I need to see if the property is living up to the brand before I send clients there-- I suggest you say that very nicely. When requesting a site inspection ask them if they have a press kit that they can also provide to you during your visit. Be specific about what you need to see. I needed to see the luxury accommodations. Suites, Penthouses, and the concierge level was previewed by me. Any amenities you think your client will use- preview it! To set up the site inspections you should give the hotel a couple of days (a week if you have it). The next day give the Hotel a call and thank the person for giving you a tour of the property.

Super Bowl XLIV

So the Super Bowl will be in Miami on Feb 7 2010. The New Orleans Saints vs the Indianapolis Colts. It should be a great game! The weather is supposed to be awesome with the high being 73 and the low being 62. No rain on the forecast for now. As a concierge this will be a busy week! Sleep will be a distant memory, but the experience is worth it! Personally, I will be working 24 hour days from Feb.1-Feb.10. I will try to take pictures this time around. I can't promise that I will be able to name names, but if I am given permission from the clients then I will. Now I'm off to bed so that I can start doing my homework on the owners, players, and coaches of the competing teams in the morning. Are you working this Super Bowl? Share your experience!

Concierge Doctor

Today as I was watching CNN & MSNBC I noticed one of the biggest stories was about Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's concierge doctor. First let me begin by saying I don't know if this man has committed a crime. I have never met this man, and I don't know his character, but what I object to is how the media is running with the idea that concierge doctors are bad. My uncle is a very successful doctor in Orlando, he has been the subject of newspaper articles for his work in the community, and the clinics he opened to help the economically challenged. I have tried in vain to get him to become a concierge doctor. Unfortunately, he believes what the media is saying about concierge doctors. With every profession you will have people who are unsavory. People who got into the profession for the wrong reasons, but you don't just throw away the whole industry because of those people.

Super Bowl XLIII- Limo service agreements

Ok the Super Bowl is coming to Tampa, Florida February 2009 and will be in Miami February 2010. Now is the time to get out there to cultivate contacts. There will be a lot of clients who will need luxury accommodations, cars, and virtual concierge. Now is the time to get out there and introduce yourself and your company to the limousine drivers and the owners of the limousine companies. Try and set up an exclusive - if temporary- agreement with them. You would use them exclusively and they would refer clients to your company first. I caution you not to make a deal with the devil. Be very selective as to what companies you approach. Your reputation depends on it. Their reputation will become your reputation. Pick a company that you know has the style of limousines that your clients prefer. Make sure they have a variety of cars and are very flexible. Make sure you understand the billing process and maximize that to your client's benefit. Most of all make sure that their customer service standards are in line with yours. This isn't about getting the cheapest deal. This is about getting the best value for your client. The Limo company has to be professional. Uniforms are a requirement. Make sure they have a policy where the drivers are NOT allowed on the phone with a client. A good limo service will give all drivers a radio and they will use code in front of the client. Also, umbrellas issued by the Limo company are usually mandatory. A small detail that can make or break you. Check out the reputation of the company that you are thinking of using. Are they on time? Are the cars clean inside and out? Are the cars stocked? stocked? what am I talking about? Newspapers- at least 2 types. Water- room temperature as well as cold. Does the car smell great? All these things must be taken into consideration. You can not depend solely on the Limo company to do this. Go to the headquarters of the Limo company and ask to look at a few of their cars. This is what we do. We make sure that the product always looks the same and feels the same. Quality is essential. If you are able to get a discounted rate from the Limo company that is even better. Be careful. Clients can tell when they are not getting the best deal. Keep the cost in line with industry standards. If the cost is higher then you have to be able to justify that.  SUV's are essential. Super Bowl XLI I saw Limo's sit while the SUV's were always busy. I had clients willing to wait for the Escalade SUV rather than take a smaller car. If you are dealing with athletes as I did Super Bowl XLI remember this is their Oscars. They have to be at every party. They want to be seen. Don't assume anything about the client. A lot of the athletes that I assisted were very low key and each had different needs. I hope that as a concierge you understand the importance of discretion. These people are regular human beings who value their privacy. In my next blog I will outline key points that you will want to have in your agreement with the Limo service. Please use this as a guide. Also, in the next Blog we will tackle accommodations.  This includes hotels, resorts as well as your real estate contacts. If Ihave forgotten anything please let me know. Please leave your questions as a comment and I will answer them weekly.